Sunday, March 31, 2013

Hemp fuels- Environmentally friendly fuel sources
The basics: Hemp can provide two types of fuel.
1. Hemp biodiesel – made from the oil of the (pressed) hemp seed.
2. Hemp ethanol/methanol – made from the fermented stalk.
To clarify further, ethanol is made from such things as grains, sugars, starches, waste paper and forest products, and methanol is made from woody/pulp matter. Using processes such as gasification, acid hydrolysis and enzymes, hemp can be used to make both ethanol and methanol.
In this day of oil wars, peak oil (and the accompanying soaring prices), climate change and oil spills such as the one in the gulf by BP, it’s more important than ever to promote sustainable alternatives such as hemp ethanol. Hemp turns out to be the most cost-efficient and valuable of all the fuel crops we could grow on a scale that could fuel the world.
And as it turns out, the whole reason for hemp prohibition – and alcohol prohibition – may have been a fuel the realization that OIL production is threatened by any competing fuel source, especially one that requires no modifications to your car!
What is Hemp Biodiesel?
Hemp biodiesel is the name for a variety of ester based oxygenated fuels made from hemp oil. The concept of using vegetable oil as an engine fuel dates back to 1895 when Dr. Rudolf Diesel developed the first diesel engine to run on vegetable oil. Diesel demonstrated his engine at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1900 using peanut oil as fuel. Hemp biodiesel come from the pressing of the hemp seeds to extract the oil. Through a process explained here , hemp biodiesel can be made.
Hemp biodiesel can be made from domestically produced, renewable oilseed crops such as hemp. With over 30 million successful U.S. road miles hemp biodiesel could be the answer to our cry for renewable fuel sources. Learning more about renewable fuels does not mean we should not cut back on consumption but does help address the environmental affects of our choices. There is more to hemp as a renewable fuel source than you know
Why Hemp Biodiesel?
Biodiesel is the only alternative fuel that runs in any conventional, unmodified diesel engine.
It can be stored anywhere that petroleum diesel fuel is stored. Biodiesel is safe to handle and transport because it is as biodegradable as sugar, 10 times less toxic than table salt, and has a high flashpoint of about 300 F compared to petroleum diesel fuel, which has a flash point of 125 F.
Biodiesel can be made from domestically produced, renewable oilseed crops such as hemp.
Biodiesel is a proven fuel with over 30 million successful US road miles, and over 20 years of use in Europe.
When burned in a diesel engine, biodiesel replaces the exhaust odor of petroleum diesel with the pleasant smell of hemp, popcorn or french fries.
Biodiesel is the only alternative fuel in the US to complete EPA Tier I Health Effects Testing under section 211(b) of the Clean Air Act, which provide the most thorough inventory of environmental and human health effects attributes that current technology will allow.
Biodiesel is 11% oxygen by weight and contains no sulfur.
The use of biodiesel can extend the life of diesel engines because it is more lubricating than petroleum diesel fuel, while fuel consumption, auto ignition, power output, and engine torque are relatively unaffected by biodiesel.
The Congressional Budget Office, Department of Defense, US Department of Agriculture, and others have determined that biodiesel is the low cost alternative fuel option for fleets to meet requirements of the Energy Policy Act.

According to the Notre Dame University publication, The Midlands Naturalist, from a 1975 article called, "Feral Hemp in Southern Illinois," about the wild hemp fields that annual efforts from law enforcement eradication teams cannot wipe out, an acre of hemp produces:

1. 8,000 pounds of hemp seed per acre.When cold-pressed, the 8,000 pounds of hemp seed yield over 300 gallons of hemp seed oil and a byproduct of 6,000 pounds of high protein hemp flour.

These seed oils are both a food and a biodiesel fuel. Currently, the most productive seed oil crops are soybeans, sunflower seeds and rape seed or canola. Each of these three seed oil crops produce between 100 to 120 gallons of oil per acre. Hemp seed produces three times more oil per acre than the next most productive seed oil crops, or over 300 gallons per acre, with a byproduct of 3 tons of food per acre. Hemp seed oil is also far more nutritious and beneficial for our health than any other seed oil crop.

In addition to the food and oil produced, there are several other byproducts and benefits to the cultivation of hemp.

3. Twenty-five tons of hemp hurd fiber. Hemp hurd fiber makes all grades of paper, composite building materials, animal bedding and a material for the absorption of liquids and oils.

4. The deep tap root draws up sub-soil nutrients and then, when the leaves fall from the plant to the ground, they return these nutrients to the top soil for the next crop rotation.

5. The residual flowers, after the seeds are extracted, produce valuable medicines.

Our farmers need this valuable crop to be returned as an option for commercial agriculture.

While marijuana is prohibited, industrial hemp will be economically prohibitive due to the artificial regulatory burdens imposed by the prohibition of marijuana. When marijuana and cannabis are legally regulated, industrial hemp will return to its rightful place in our agricultural economy.

Hemp may be the plant that started humans down the road toward civilization with the invention of agriculture itself. All archaeologists agree that cannabis was among the first crops purposely cultivated by human beings at least over 6,000 years ago, and perhaps more than 12,000 years ago.

Restoring industrial hemp to its rightful place in agriculture today will return much control to our farmers, and away from the multinational corporations that dominate our political process and destroy our environment. These capital-intensive, non-sustainable, and environmentally destructive industries have usurped our economic resources and clear-cut huge tracts of the world's forests, given us massive oil spills, wars, toxic waste, massive worldwide pollution, global warming and the destruction of entire ecosystems.

Prohibiting the cultivation of this ancient plant, the most productive source of fiber oil and protein on our planet, is evil. In its place we have industries that give us processes and products that have led to unprecedented ecological crisis and worldwide destruction of the biological heritage that we should bequeath to our children, grandchildren and future generations.

Friday, March 29, 2013

A marijuana tax is being considered as a reason to legalize the drug by several cash-strapped states, including New York and Maine.
Advocates of marijuana have said that taxing the drug could help pump cash into states struggling to make ends meet. However, skeptics have disagreed.

But some lawmakers agree with advocates. They assert that legalizing marijuana and taxing it would help put a large amount of money into state budgets still recovering from the recession.
Representative Jared Polis (D-CO) agrees. He added, “I’ve seen some estimates in the high tens of millions, as much as $100 million” for Colorado. The state’s voters legalized recreational marijuana during the last election.
Polis and others are arguing for a federal law that legalizes the drug. He added that, should projections be correct, Colorado would be able to fund struggling programs like education. Schools, especially those in poorer districts, are suffering.
Along with Colorado, Washington State voters also passed a recreational marijuana law. Under the law, marijuana would be taxed at four levels: growing, production, retail, and consumer. Growers, manufacturers, and retailers would also have to apply for an annual license to handle the substance. The license costs $1,000.Dale Geiringer also supports the idea of a marijuana tax. Gieringer, who is the director of California National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, stated that legalizing the drug would bring in more than $1.2 billion to the state. However, the study assumes a traditional sales tax, along with an additional $50 levy for every ounce of marijuana sold.
Skeptics are also cautioning that there is a lot of exaggeration on the part of activists. Harvard economics professor Jeffrey Miron, a pro-legalization scholar at the Cato Institute, cautioned that a marijuana tax “is not a cash cow that can solve anyone’s fiscal problems.” Instead, a nationwide legalization that taxes marijuana like alcohol and tobacco would bring in about $6.4 billion. $4.3 billion would be for the government and states would get $2.1 billion.
Do you think a marijuana tax would be a substantial boon for governments?
Image via United States Fish and Wildlife Service]

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

By Thomas H. Clarke on March 27, 2013
LOUISVILLE, KY — With less than an hour remaining in the regular legislative session, the Kentucky House voted 88-4 late Tuesday night to pass an amended version of a hemp bill that has been feared dead for over a week.
Just a few minutes later, the Senate, who already voted in favor of the original bill, voted 35-1 to pass the amended version.
The bill, Senate Bill 50, now heads to the desk of Gov. Steve Beshear for approval. The Democratic governor has said he shares some concerns with the Kentucky State Police who opposed the Republican-sponsored bill. Beshear hasn’t said whether he would veto the hemp bill or sign int into law.
Under the bill, Kentucky will be able to license industrial farmers to grow industrial hem, but only if the federal government ever lifts a ban on cultivating the crop. The State Police would have access to GPS coordinates of licensed hemp fields. Hemp growers would undergo criminal background checks, and each grower would be limited to 10 acres per license. A production license would be valid for one year.
“We have, in my opinion, put together a strong bill,” said House Majority Floor Leader Rocky Adkins, D-Catlettsburg. “We will be on the cutting edge and be ready to hit the ground running.”
The bill had strong support, but was feared dead in the House as lawmakers were unable to agree on who would oversee the hemp program. An eleventh hour compromise deal between House Democrats and Sen. Paul Hornback (R-Shelbyville) that will allow hemp licensing by the Kentucky Industrial Hemp Commission under the control of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture brought the bill back to life.
Agriculture Commissioner James Comer said the bill will leave the hemp commission with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture. The research functions will be performed by the University of Kentucky.
Both of Kentucky’s Republican US Senators, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul, have sponsored federal legislation to allow cultivation of hemp, while endorsing the pending measure in their home state.Hemp thrived in Kentucky generations ago but has been banned for decades since the federal government classified it as a controlled substance related to marijuana. Hemp products can legally be sold in the United States, but the hemp must be imported from other countries.
Over thirty countries produce industrial hemp, including Australia, Austria, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey and Ukraine.
Agriculture Commissioner James Comer has said the crop could be an economic boon for Kentucky. Besides creating another crop for the state’s farmers, Comer said hemp could lead to manufacturing jobs that produce products ranging from paper to cosmetics.
“By passing this bill, the General Assembly has signaled that Kentucky is serious about restoring industrial hemp production to the commonwealth and doing it in the right way,” Comer said in a statement. “That will give Kentucky’s congressional delegation more leverage when they seek a federal waiver allowing Kentucky farmers to grow hemp.”
The bill was unpopular with law enforcement officials. They say hemp could be used to camouflage marijuana, which has similar looking leaves but far less potency. Hemp has a negligible content of THC.
A February poll found that a strong majority – over 65% – of Kentucky voters support the cultivation of hemp by local farmers.
Bills to allow the cultivation of hemp have been introduced in several other states this year.

Just in, news that in Illinois common sense has prevailed - there is a bill to allow the cultivation of industrial hemp, House Bill 2668, which has been approved by the Illinois House Agriculture and Conservation Committee in a 9-8 vote. The measure now awaits action from the full House. You can read the full text of House Bill 2668 here.

Monday, March 25, 2013

Colorado's hemp-growing
industry will kick off on a modest scale under state legislation expected to
be introduced next week.
The bill sponsored by state Sen. Gail Schwartz, D-Snowmass Village, would
enable farmers to register for 10-acre research-and-development plots to test
the viability of different hemp varieties.
Hemp is genetically related to marijuana but contains little or no THC, the
psychoactive substance in marijuana. The seeds and fibers of hemp have dozens of
commercial uses in foods, cosmetics, textiles and building materials.
The passage of Amendment 64 last year legalized in Colorado the possession
and cultivation of both marijuana and hemp.
However, growing hemp, as with marijuana, is still
illegal under federal law. That's one of the reasons that hemp backers are
proposing to launch the industry on a relatively small scale.
Schwartz said Thursday at a hemp forum in Loveland that 10-acre R&D plots
grown under state guidelines are less likely to attract federal law enforcement
attention than bigger commercial farms.
The proposed legislation would not prohibit larger farms, but backers say it
is unlikely that farmers would choose to start on a large scale.
"The reality of the situation is that hemp probably won't be grown on a mass
commercial level for a few years because the crop will still need to be
processed in-state and it will take a while to build that infrastructure and
market," said Samantha Walsh, political director of the advocacy group Hemp
Cleans.
The bill would direct the Colorado Department of Agriculture to establish
rules for registration and crop testing.
Hemp-growing has been legal in Canada since 1998. The industry is expanding
rapidly. In 2012, a record 52,000 acres were grown. Projections for this year
are 75,000 acres.
Canadian farmers at the Thursday forum said the crop is resistant to drought
and weeds, relatively easy to grow, and profitable compared to other mainstream
crops.
Manitoba hemp scientist Anndrea Hermann said the Canadian crop recently has
generated average profits of $255 per acre compared with $208 for corn, $201 for
canola and $100 for wheat.
David Bronner, whose company Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps is a major buyer of
hemp oil, said at the forum that Colorado's efforts to establish an industry may
help persuade the federal government to end its prohibition."A little civil disobedience in the mix would hasten the end of this charade," he said.By Steve RaabeThe Denver Post

By Thomas H. Clarke on March 24, 2013
CHARLESTON, WV — A bill that would remove a provision requiring an applicant to meet federal requirements prior to being licensed to grow industrial hemp in West Virginia was introduced last week to the House of Delegates.
The bill was authored by Delegate Mike Maypenny (D-Taylor County), who has also introduced two bills that would legalize medical marijuana in the state.
The bill, House Bill 3011, would remove the following wording from West Virginia’s Industrial Hemp Development Act of 1931:

Prior to issuing a license under the provisions of this article, the commissioner shall determine that the applicant has complied with all applicable requirements of the United States department of justice, drug enforcement administration for the production, distribution and sale of industrial hemp.

Passage of House Bill 3011 would effectively re-enact the Industrial Hemp Development Act, allowing West Virginia farmers to grow hemp for the first time since World War II, when the US temporarily lifted the nation-wide ban on the growth of hemp, encouraging farmers to grow the crop for the war effort.
Currently, the Department of Justice and Drug Enforcement Administration prohibit the growth of industrial hemp in the United States.
Due to this prohibition, applicants for a license to grow hemp in West Virginia can not possibly comply with the applicable federal requirements, and no licenses to grow can be issued.Legislation is also pending in Congress to once again allow the commercial production of hemp in the United States.
Hemp products can legally be sold in the United States, but the hemp must be imported from other countries.
Over thirty countries produce industrial hemp, including Australia, Austria, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey and Ukraine.
The world’s leader in hemp production is China.
Bills to allow the cultivation of hemp have been introduced in several other states this year.

HONOLULU, HI — A bill that would establish a two-year hemp pilot program in Hawaii passed a second reading with amendments on the floor of the Senate last week, and has been referred to the Ways and Means Committee. The bill passed unanimously on the floor of the House earlier this month, .
If given favorable approval by the Ways and Means Committee, the bill will be refereed back to the full Senate for a third, and final, reading and vote on the bill. Because the bill has been amended in both the Senate and House, the two chambers will need to agree on the final language of the bill before being sent to the Governor’s desk.
If passed in its most recent form, House Bill 154 HD2 SD1 would allow the director of the college of tropical agriculture and human resources at the University of Hawaii at Manoa to establish a two-year industrial hemp remediation and biofuel crop pilot program.
A primary focus of the proposed research would be phytoremediation, a process by which the hemp plant draws toxins out of the soil and processes them safely through its roots, stalk, branches, and leaves.
The Senate Committee on Agriculture recommended the bill pass by a 7-0 vote Thursday, shortly before the Senate Committee on Energy and Environment recommended the bill’s passage 5-0.
The bill now advances to the floor of the Senate for a vote, but a vote has not yet been scheduled on the bill.
House lawmakers passed an amended version of the original bill, which expands the research to include hemp’s value as an alternative biofuel for Hawaii.
“People now understand how industrial hemp can benefit Hawaii,” said State Representative Cynthia Thielen (R-Kaneohe Bay), who cosponsored HB154. “The hemp plant itself uses phytoremediation to cleanse the soil of pesticides, heavy metals, oil, and other toxins.”
“Adding industrial hemp as a source of biofuel is another avenue worth pursuing,” Thielen said. “Reducing our dependence on foreign oil through the use of a renewable resource would be very good for Hawaii.”
The bill was introduced by Thielen, Speaker Joseph Souki, Representative Derek Kawakami, Representative Sylvia Luke, and Representative Angus McKelvey in January.
Cultivation of industrial hemp is currently prohibited by the federal government, but legislation has been introduced in Congress to allow the commercial production of hemp in the United States, the only industrialized nation in the world to prohibit the cultivation of hemp.
Hemp products can legally be sold in the United States, but the hemp must be imported from other countries.

Friday, March 22, 2013

Hemp seed belongs without doubt, to one of the most nutritionally valuable oleiferous fruit. For thousands of years, hemp was used for human nourishment. Into the 19th century, hemp was a well known and well appreciated plant oil.
Since the middle of the 90ties, hemp has celebrated ist comeback as a regrowable natural resource and deliverer of high quality fibres and seed. Only in recent years, science was able to discover hemp and prophesy hemp’s great future as a seed and oil producing plant. What makes hemp seed and hemp oil so valuable? Hemp oil is especially rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (approx. 90%) , vital for the human organism. Here to be specially noted, is that in edible oils, essential fatty acids linoleic acid (50-70%) and alpha linoleic acid (15-25 %) ; particularly omega-3 fatty acids alpha linoleic acids are rarely present in such large proportions. A very balanced composition of fatty acids makes hemp oil generally one the most valuable edible oils. The experts for fats Dr. Ulrich Strunz and Andreas Jopp wrote in their actuall book “Fit With Fat” – “… for the correct balance of tissue homones it is necessary that omega-6 and omega-3 fats be applied in ratio 3:1. However, we receive 20 times more omega-6 fats…The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 in hemp oil is 3:1. Because of that, hemp oil belongs to the top omega-3 deliverers.” (Strunz & Jopp 2002)
15 to 20 gramm of hemp oil is sufficient to meet the daily human nutrition requirements in essential fatty acids completely. If made part of daily nourishment, hemp oil protects us from a variety of metabolic, arteriosclerotic, vascular and cardiovascular illnesses, that are, according to a recent survey, partially ascribed to excessively high fraction of saturated and trans-saturated fatty acids in food.
With these ingredients, hemp seed and hemp oil not only represent specially valuable nutrition – but there are also a variety of therapeutical applications. Alpha linoleic-acid has, together with omega-3 fatty acid a comparable effect to fish oils and can therefore be applied by cardiovascular illnesses and chronic inflammation, therapeutically. A further composite earns special attention as therapeutic agent. Hemp belongs to the few oleiferous plants whose seeds contain (2-4%) gamma-linoleic acid (GLA). In the human body, a gamma-linoleic acid deficiency can lead to serious metabolic illnesses. In such cases, if gamma-linoleic acid is applied, various states of these illnesses can be influenced positively. Belonging to these states are, neurodermititis, premenstrual syndrome, rheumatic arthritis and diabetic neuropathy – only to name of few of the most important areas.Hemp seed From a botanical perspective, the fruit of the hemp plant is a nut (mini nut), that is surrounded by a thin, glassy, fruit husk. The nutrient-rich seed are coloured brown to black-grey, sometimes even coloured green-grey. Hemp seed have a diameter of approx. 3-4 mm. and a thousand-seed weight of 5-20 g.
Eight of the altogether 21 aminoacids can not be produced by the human body. They must be applied from external sources, so that the human organism can build body proteins in sufficient quantities. These eight aminoacids are therefore termed – essential aminoacids.
Hemp protein contains all eight essential aminoacids and is therefore totally valuable. The main component is the globulin edestin, that is even easier to digest as soy protein. Therefore, hemp seed provides a good protein source for humans; out of which the human body can produce all vital proteins. Because of its similarity with our blood plasma’s globular proteins, the organism can e.g. easily produce immunoglobines, that play a most important role in resisting infections.Hemp oil In order to produce valuable hemp seed oil out of equally valuable hemp seed, a careful harvest and cautious pressing is necessary. The seed is enclosed by a firm shell, that protects it’s contents from enviromental influence, especially from oxygen and light. To produce oil, the seed has to be pressed until oil emits. Here, it’s especially necessary to handle with care. During pressing, warmth is produced, in which case, by too much temperature, the protein and fats would be chemically altered adversely.
For this reason, when producing edible oil, the cold pressing process is applied, in which the temperature is not allowed to exceed 40 °. Due to the caring cold pressing and air-tight filling in dark bottles, the valuable fatty acids, as well as the natural “nutty” flavour of the oil, is preserved.
Hemp oil is excellent for cooking, not only because of its special taste but also because of it’s richness in vital fatty acids.
Because of it’s spectrum of fatty acids, hemp belongs nutritionally to the top ranking plant oils and should replace the usual oils in cooking, as far as possible, or at least be combined with them. As the smoke point of unrefined, edible hemp oil already starts at 165 ° , it should not be used for frying or french-frying because in these procedures, temperatures exceeding 165 ° are produced. In that case fatty acids are destroyed and hemp oil’s taste is adversely affected.
Hemp oil is suitable for steaming or stewing as long as the presence of water at high temperatures is avoided. Appart from that, it can be used for salad dressings, bread spreads, marinades and dips. The most important fatty acids for humans and mammals are linoleic-acid, that is a 2 times unsaturated omega-6 fatty acid. It is present in numerous plant oils and is present in hemp oil, in a concentration over 50 %. According to the recommendation from the German Society for Nutrition (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährung 1991) the daily adult requirement for linoleic-acid is about 7 g., whereas an amount of 10 g. is recommended. That would be an equivalent of 50-60 hemp seeds or 15-20 g. hemp oil daily.
The oils contained in the hemp seed are regarded as the most valuable edible oil generally. “Due to its extraordinarily well balanced fatty-acid profile, one could live a life time on hemp oil/hemp seed without contracting any deficiency of essential fatty acids (EFA). The 3 % content of gamma-linoleic fatty acid (GLA) makes it most unique amongst edible oils.” and “The compositon of fatty acids in our nutrition has changed within this century. Oils with a low fatty acid content became standard in groceries. We buy oils, that have been altered by being exposed to heat and chemicals. Unfortunately, their natural nutrients are transformed in whole or part into harmful substances: e.g. trans fatty acids, polymers and other materials. Through hydrogenation – used since the 30ties in large scale to produce margarines and backing fats – many altered fat substances arrive in our food. Refined food products “white” oils and “white” fats are nutritionally comparable to refined sugar and white flour; they are protein free, de-mineralised, de-vitaminised and free of dietary fibre. They can not be matabolised properly, and withdraw both minerals and vitamines from the body. Over a longer time, this leads to deficieny symtoms.
Source: „Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill.“ Vancouver 1993 from Udo Erasmus. Nuritional Scientist.
Texts were compiled in cooperation with www.nova-institut.de (Authors: D. Kruse / M. Karus)

Hemp Water Can Save Lives

Just a quick note about Hemp Water and how it can save lives. Hemp seeds are considered a super food and cultures across the globe have been using Hemp Seeds nutritionally and medically for 1,000′s of years.
Recently clinical studies have indicated the nutrients contained in Hemp Seeds have had a visible affect on cholesterol, blood pressure, and even cancer cells. Drinking Hemp Water offers the same properties as the Hemp Seeds by them self but in an all natural drinking water.
Here is an excerpt we found very useful on another website:

Now imagine your natural spring water infused with Hemp Seed to provide all these wonderful healthy and healing properties. Makes Vitamin Water sound not so healthy after all does it? In fact because this is pure drinking water there are no additives, no fillers, 100% Gluten free, kosher, raw, vegan, and contains zero sugars or sweeteners. Now when you see all those soccer moms drinkning coconut water you can tell then get on the Hemp Water and really boost their workouts.

UNCC researchers create a formula for recycling old bottles into new building materials

A UNC Charlotte researcher with a passion for sustainability is creating a new building material out of recycled plastic bottles and an ancient grass.

Dr. Na Lu, an assistant professor at UNCC’s Department of Engineering Technology, has created a material she believes may outperform composite lumber and wood lumber in many uses, and which has potential to be used in the residential and light commercial building industry.
In her lab at UNCC, Luna, as she prefers to be called, holds a dog bone-shaped sample of her creation: a beige plastic woven with threads of what looks like horsehair. “Hemp,” Luna says, and points to a fluffy pile of the fibers on the table.
Unlike much present-day composite lumber, Luna’s product substitutes hemp fibers for more typical chipped wood often mixed with virgin plastic. And unlike pressure-treated wood, the hemp material contains no toxic heavy metals.
Wood fiber is structured like a bundle of straws, she said, but hemp’s crystalline structure gives it greater mechanical strength. She demonstrates by holding out a handful of hemp fibers to pull.
“This (hemp composite) material performs up to 4,000 to 6,000 psi (pounds per square inch),” Luna said. “That’s as strong as medium-strength concrete.”
At the same time, the hemp-recycled plastic material is lighter than regular composite lumber, she said.
Hemp may be a promising building material, but the stuff Luna uses isn’t going to get anyone arrested. It’s industrial hemp, with an extremely low content of THC, the psychoactive substance for which marijuana is known.
Hemp is just one key to the new material; the other is recycled plastic bottles. In the United States, about 20 billion plastic bottles are used annually, and just 18 percent of those get recycled, Luna said. “The niche of what we do here is … we used HDPE recycled plastic, as opposed to resin epoxy,” she said.
Where things get wet
Unlike regular lumber, the experimental material is moisture- and insect-resistant, and hemp grows a lot faster than wood. Hemp fiber polymers are being used in the automotive industry in Europe for car interiors, Luna said, but she sees a future for the material in buildings, particularly in places where wood rot is a problem.
“The first application I really would like to see is any point where there is water contact in a civil application – a retaining wall, decking, bridges,” she said.
While it would cost more to produce the material today than it does to produce wood lumber, the life cycle cost would be cheaper and, over time, with a greater scale of production, she believes the cost to the consumer would fall.
For Luna, an interest in accomplishing conventional goals through unconventional means came early. Born in China, she said she saw firsthand the difficulty of a heavily populated nation struggling with high energy costs. After moving to the States, Luna earned her doctorate from Clemson University. In the process, she worked with a professor in Arizona in constructing a school from straw bales coated with cement.
Testing, testing
To prepare hemp composite samples for testing, Luna and her student assistant, John Larson, first extrude pellets of recycled plastic. Larson, a rising sophomore from Stanley majoring in construction management, treats the hemp fiber to remove its oil and odor. He points out a tensile testing machine used to pull the fibers and take pictures with a high-speed camera of how the material reacts and deforms in each moment.
Larson and Luna sandwich the strands between layers of plastic, and test the finished sample under a static load and a dynamic load (a moving load, such as that produced by wind or water) for changes in strength at various temperatures and humidity levels.
“We tried chopping them up,” Larson said of one of many experiments with the fibers. That didn’t prove strong enough, so now they’re turning out samples with longer hemp strands.
“It’s tedious,” Luna said of the yearlong process of trial and error. “But once you see the material improve … you love it.”
Listening to Mother Nature
In designing materials for building, it makes sense to take cues from nature, Luna said. “Mother Nature is much smarter than us,” she said. “I really respect nature and how things are designed.”
In the lab, Luna and Larson demonstrate the testing of a sample of the hemp composite. The “dog bone” slides into a vise-like apparatus on a strength-testing machine and, as Luna watches a glowing computer screen, the machine pulls the sample until at last it snaps, at 5,692 psi.
“Wow!” Luna says, surprised. Larson peers at the computer with her and they marvel at the test results, which were achieved at 70 degrees Fahrenheit and 35 percent humidity – variables, Luna says, which are important because a material’s performance changes with moisture and heat.
The next challenge will be making the material more fireproof. But already a lumber company and an architectural firm have expressed interest in it, Luna said.
In addition to exploring hemp and recycled plastic as a lumber substitute, Luna is looking at combining recycled plastic with bamboo fibers. She’s also working on a new class of thermoelectric materials to harvest waste heat energy and convert it into electrical energy without moving parts.
Amber Veverka: amberveverka@carolina.rr.com
Original story at Charlotte Observer’s website here

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

"After dealing with about 10,000 patents in the last 15 years, I'd say about 200 different medical conditions respond favorably to cannabis," Dr. Tod Mikuriya.

Cannabinoids are a group of terpenophenolic compounds present in Cannabis (''Cannabis sativa'') and occur naturally in the nervous and immune systems of animals.There are 483 different identifiable chemical constituents known to exist in cannabis. There may in fact be more. The most distinctive and specific class of compounds are the cannabinoids (66 known), that are only known to exist in the cannabis plant. Other constituents of the cannabis plant are: nitrogenous compounds (27 known), amino acids (18), proteins (3), glycoproteins (6), enzymes (2), sugars and related compounds (34), hydrocarbons (50), simple alcohols (7), aldehydes (13), ketones (13), simple acids (21), fatty acids (22), simple esters (12), lactones (1), steroids (11), terpenes (120), non-cannabinoid phenols (25), flavonoids (21), vitamins (1) [Vitamin A], pigments (2), and elements (9)Some believe cannabis is not a medicine in the same sense as pharmaceutical medicine. They believe it does not treat the symptoms as much as it treats the cause. They claim the cause of various ailments, disease, disorders, boils down to one thing, the ECS (Endocannabinoid System) is not working properly due to a deficiency of cannabinoids. Science has proven exogenous (external) cannabinoids, which cannabis produces, act identically to endogenous cannabinoids, those our bodies make naturally. No amount of currently available pharmaceuticals can boost the ECS. Although the race is on to produce synthetic cannabinoids, which instigates anger by many cannabis advocates, and some scientists as well, as there is an emerging thought that the "entourage effect," which refers to all of the chemical constituents working in conjunction in their natural form rather than being isolated in a lab offer more of a benefit as nature intended, with all its subatomic quirks and quarks. This came to be true in the case of THCV, which was isolated, synthesized, and manufactured as a weight loss drug. However, after just a short time on the market, it was pulled due to patient complaints of major depression. More recently there have been numerous patents filed on various processes, and chemicals of marijuana, which have been given the "green" light by the US patent office, as well as European patent offices, all while the natural raw form of cannabis remains prohibited, and likely safer. There is a synthetic anti-nausea drug based on the chemical composition of Delta9THC, however a great number of patients prefer the natural plant, stating that the synthetic form (marinol) is excessively psychoactive compared to the plant.

Monday, March 18, 2013

JEFFERSON CITY, MO — A bill that would exempt industrial hemp from the Missouri’s controlled substances act has been scheduled for a hearing by the General Laws Committee later this month.Senate Bill 358, sponsored by Senator Jason Holsman (D—Kansas City), would exempt industrial hemp—defined as containing less than 1% THC—from the state’s controlled substances act and allow anyone not convicted of a drug-related crime to grow it.
An identical bill was introduced in the House last year, but never received a hearing.
A hearing on SB 358 has been scheduled by the General Laws Committee on Tuesday, March 26 at 3:00 pm. This is a public hearing that allows for testimony in person or in writing if provided in advance.
“Hearings like this give people a chance to voice their opinion outside of the ballot,” said Steven Wilson of the Central Missouri Hemp Network. “Informed citizenry is what managed this country and it is how we can reclaim farm sovereignty and farm freedom. I encourage all who care about the working man to come out and tell the Senate what they think, either way. Citizen up or citizen down.”

Cultivation of industrial hemp is currently prohibited by the federal government, but legislation has been introduced in Congress to allow the commercial production of hemp in the United States, the only industrialized nation in the world to prohibit the cultivation of hemp.
Hemp products can legally be sold in the United States, but the hemp must be imported from other countries.
For those Missouri residents interested in testifying at this hearing, contact sweb@senate.mo.gov, or contact members of the General Laws Committee:

By Steve ElliottHemp News
A bill which would have legalized marijuana in New Hampshire died in the House on Wednesday without any debate. The Democratic-majority House voted 239-112 to kill the bill. On the same day, the House passed a bill to legalize industrial hemp.
It wasn't a party-line vote, reports Ben Leubsdorf of the Concord Monitor. While 135 Democrats and 104 Republicans voted to kill the legalization bill, 61 Democrats and 51 Republicans voted to pass it.
The legislation would have removed all references to marijuana from the state's drug control laws as of January 1, 2014. Marijuana would remain illegal under federal law, but New Hampshire would have followed Colorado and Washington state, where voters in November approved ballot measures to allow the use of marijuana by adults 21 and older.
The Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee, on a 12-8 vote, recommended the full House kill the legalization bill. Opponents complained that it would run counter to federal law, while supporters pointed out that cannabis prohibition is not working.
The hemp legalization bill was approved by the full House on a voice vote. Hemp can be used to make rope, fabric, paper, fuel and other products. Like marijuana, it is a variety of the cannabis plant.
A similar hemp bill passed the House last year, but died after the Senate sent it to "interim study."
The New Hampshire House will consider two more marijuana bills later this month.
One would decriminalize possession of less than an ounce of marijuana, but the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee inexplicably voted, 12-6, to recommend the full House kill that bill.
The second bill would legalize the medicinal use of cannabis for terminal and seriously ill patients. The Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs Committee endorsed it on a 14-1 vote.

PARKINSONS

Parkinson’s disease was one of the major neuro-degenerative diseases covered in the 2003 US Federal Patent for Cannabidiol.

There are a lot of studies showing benefit with symptoms of tremor and spasticity and I have listed some below.

In my experience with Parkinson’s patients, they are often benefitted from rich CBD medicines but can be very sensitive to THC. In addition, with any neuromotor illness, there is a large amount of performance anxiety associated with everything from speech to any movement. This is worst when in front of people and is so very understandable.

One of the many benefits from using CBD in these patients is reducing their anxiety level. When they are truly calm and a little “less stiff”, they become more comfortable and then become more confident allowing themselves to receive the maximum benefit from any of their medications.

Hemp is always a fun topic to look at because it really makes you ask the obvious question: “Why are we not using this stuff for pretty much EVERYTHING that we do?” Well, the answer to that is quite simple, but not really what this article is about so we can save that for another time. What we have here is a list of 10 eye opening facts about Hemp. (There’s actually more than 10 cause some have two, but who’s counting!) Once again, HEMP does NOT get you high! Different plant.

1.80% of all textiles, fabrics, clothes, linen, drapes, bed sheets, etc., were made from hemp until the 1820s, with the introduction of the cotton gin. All schoolbooks were made from hemp or flax paper until the 1880s.

2.Benjamin Franklin owned one of the first paper mills in America, and it processed hemp. Also, the War of 1812 was fought over hemp. Napoleon wanted to cut off Moscow’s export to England

3.Henry Ford’s first Model-T was built to run on hemp gasoline and the car itself was constructed from hemp! On his large estate, Ford was photographed among his hemp fields. The car, ‘grown from the soil,’ had hemp plastic panels whose impact strength was 10 times stronger than steel. (Popular Mechanics, 1941.)

4.Refusing to grow hemp in America during the 17th and 18th centuries was against the law! You could be jailed in Virginia for refusing to grow hemp from 1763 to 1769. You could even pay taxes with hemp in America from 1631 until the early 1800s!! (LA Times. Aug. 12, 1981.)

5.Quality paints and varnishes were made from hemp seed oil until 1937. 58,000 tons of hemp seeds were used in America for paint products in 1935. (Sherman Williams Paint Co. testimony before the U.S.Congress against the 1937 Marijuana Tax Act.)

6.For thousands of years, 90% of all ships’ sails and rope were made from hemp. The word ‘canvas’ comes from the Middle English word “canevas” which comes from the Latin word cannabis. (Webster’s New World Dictionary.)

7.In 1938, hemp was called ‘Billion Dollar Crop.’ It was the first time a cash crop had a business potential to exceed a billion dollars. (Popular Mechanics, Feb. 1938.)

8.The first crop grown in many states was hemp. 1850 was a peak year for Kentucky producing 40,000 tons. Hemp was the largest cash crop until the 20th century.

9. In 1916, the U.S. Government predicted that by the 1940s all paper would come from hemp and that no more trees need to be cut down. Government studies report that 1 acre of hemp equals 4.1 acres of trees. Plans were in the works to implement such programs. (U.S. Department of Agriculture Archives.)

10.Oldest known records of hemp farming go back 5000 years in China, although hemp industrialization probably goes back to ancient Egypt.